GOP candidates hammer Obama for prisoner swap

Republican presidential candidates Saturday raised varying levels of criticism of the prisoner exchange that led to the freeing of four Americans in Iran, while agreeing they were glad the Americans could come home.

“We shouldn’t be involved in swaps,” Rubio told reporters after a campaign event in Iowa, according to Time.

“The fact of the matter is that this tells us everything we need to know about the Iranian regime — that they take people hostage in order to gain concessions,” Rubio continued. “And the fact that they can get away with it with this administration I think has created an incentive for more governments to do this around the world.”

New Jersey Gov. Chris Christie also criticized the Obama administration for entering into the swap.

"We shouldn’t have to swap prisoners, these folks were taken illegally in violation of international law and they should have been released without condition,” he told an Iowa television station, according to the Huffington Post.